There were also men in it who could be led astray; and the colonel, elected by the votes of the regiment, had proved to be fully capable of developing all there was in his men of recklessness.

It was said that he even went so far at times as to take the guard from their posts and go with them to the village near by and make a night of it.
When there came a prospect of battle the regiment wanted to have some one else to lead them.

I found it very hard work for a few days to bring all the men into anything like subordination; but the great majority favored discipline, and by the application of a little regular army punishment all were reduced to as good discipline as one could ask.
The ten regiments which had volunteered in the State service for thirty days, it will be remembered, had done so with a pledge to go into the National service if called upon within that time.

When they volunteered the government had only called for ninety days' enlistments.

Men were called now for three years or the war.